Gear mechanism.



W. H. GEORGE.

GEAR MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1911.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

W. H. GEORGE.

GEAR MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29.}!9II.

Patented Mar. 7,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, mzzdmflaeo e, 55, M fii versble connection is used for reversing the '7 the drawing 7 ED STATES WILLIAM H. GEORGE,

or DEXTER, IOWA, assrsnon. T0 DEXTER. manoraozroame COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF IOWA.

GEAR MECHANISM.

Application filed. July 29,

To all whom it may concern} Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. GEORGE,

' a citizen of the United States, and residing at Dexter, in the county of Dallas and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gear Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gear mechanisms for transmitting mechanical motion from a power member to an operating member.

The gear mechanism of my invention comprises means for readily reversing the operative connection between a suitable power member and a suitable operating member or shaft, so that the latter may be rotated in either direction whilethe power member is rotated continuously in the same direction. When'the gear mechanism of my invention is applied to a washing machine, the .operating shaft is the wringer shaft, and the reoperation of the wringer. As my invention is particularly applicable to washing machines and like devices, I'have, forthe sake of illustration, elected to my invention in connection with a washing machine. It is to be. understood, however, that I do not intend to limit my invention to suchuse.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view showing the upper portion of j a washing machine tub with the gear mechanism of my invention applied thereto, Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a detached elevational view of my improved gear mechanism, the power pulley being for the sake of clearness omitted, Fig. 4-shows a plan view in cross-section of certain parjsxlofldy of my invention, Fig. 5 is a view at right angles to Fig. 3 looking toward the left of this figure, the power pulley being shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 6 is a detached view show, ing the recessed locking plate for yieldably holding the operating crank shaft in adjusted position.

The different parts comprising the gear mechanism of'my invention are mounted on a suitable support 1 which is shown in the drawings in the form of a washing machine tub provided with a hinged cover 2. The hinge connections between the cover and the tub are indicated at 3 and 4. To the support secured the frame-work indi- 1 is rigidly cated as a whole by W, which is shown in Specification of Letters Patent.

show and describe as a suitable form of wringer Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

1911. Serial No. 641,358.

mechanism. As this wringer mechanism may be of any improved construction, no further description thereof is thought to be necessary. A metal bracket 5 is rigidly connected to the support 1 and frame-work W by suitable fastening devices, such as screws or bolts 6 and 7. As illustrated in the drawing, the bolt 6 passes through the extension 8 of the bracket and through the support 1. The screw 7 passes into the wood-work of the frame W, as best shown in Fig. 4. As an'additi'onal means for rigidly holding the frame- 5 in place, the frame may be provided with a boss 9 which fits snugly into an opening 10 provided for that purpose on the frame-work NV.

ions to reverse the operation of the shaft;

11, as will presently be explained.

From the bracket 5 extends the horizontal bearing pin or stud 13, on which is journaled the power pinion 14. In the 'particular embodiment illustrated, the power pinion is cast integralwith the power pulley 15, butthese two members may be formed separately and rigidly secured together by suitable means. A cotter pin 16, or other equivalent device, holds the members 14 and '15 against longitudinal movement on the bearing pin 13. A frame 17 is pivoted 0n the bearing pin 13 the space between the inner end of the power pinion 14 and the of the frame 5, as best shown in Fig. 4. The frame 17 is provided with three horizontally extending arms 18, 19 and 20, which terminate in bearing studs 18319 and 20=, respectively. 18 is journaled a transmission p nion 21; on the bearing stud 19 mission pinion 22, and on the bearing stud 20 is j ournaled the transmission pinion 23. Cotter pins, or other-suitable means, hold the transmission pinions against longitudinal movement on their respective bearing studs. As best seen from Fig. 3, the pinions 21 and 22 are continuously in mesh with the power pinion 14. f As the frame 11 rocks about an axis (so-incident with the axis of rotation of the power pinion 14, the driving The frame-work W carries the horizontal shaft '11 on. which one of the On the bearing stud is journaled a transconnection between the power pinion and rotate continuously .in a clock-wise rlirection, as indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 3,

the pinion 21 will rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, while the pinion 23 will rotate in the same direction as the power pinion. The pinions 21 and 23 are so arranged with respect to the gear 12 that either one or the other may be brought into mesh with 20 thFs gear.

When the frame 17 is in the position indicated in full'lines inFig. 3, the shaft 11 is driven from the power pinion 14 through the transmission pinion 21 in the direction indicated by the arrow 6. 1 When the frame I 17 is rocked into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the pinion 21 is rocked out of mesh with the gear 12, and the pinion 23 rocked into mesh with this gear, with the result that the gear 12 now rotates counter-clockwise, as indicated by the dotted arrow 0. It will thus be clear that, by simply rocking the frame 17 through a small angle in one direction or the other,

the shaft 11 is rotated in either direction, as desired, while the power pinion 14 continues to rotate in one and the same direc-' tion.

To operate the frame 17, I have proyided a crank shaft 24 having a crank arm 25 at one end and a crank arm 26 at the other end. The crank arm 25 is arranged to engage at its free end in the slot 17* of the frame 17. By means of this slotted connection betweenthe crank shaft 24 and the frame 17, it is obvious that the frame may be rocked into any desired position by simply turning the crank shaft the proper amount. There are three positions into which the'frame 17 may be rocked. The first position is that shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to rotate the shaft 11 in one direction. The third position is that indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to cause rotation of the shaft 11 in the reverse direction. The second position of the frame 17 is intermediate between the first and third positions, and may be called the inoperative position, because both of the pinions 21- and 23 are then out of mesh with the gear 12.- Therefore, when the frame 17 is in its second or inoperative position, there is no driving connection between the power pinion 1'4 and the shaft 11. In order to hold the crank shaft 24 in any one of its adjusted positions,

I provide a locking plate 27 at the outer end locking shoulder 29, the shaft 11 is connect ed to rotate in one direction. When the arm 26 abuts against the stop shoulder 30, the shaft 11 is connected'to rotate in the reverse direction; and when the arm 26 abuts against the stop shoulder 31, the shaft 11 is entirely disconnected from the power pinion 14. vided at the outer end of the crank shaft 24 to facilitate the operation thereof. .A spring 33 is coiled about the crank shaft 24, abutting at 27 and at the other end-against the transverse pin 34 on the shaft 24. tends to move the shaft toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, and thereby holds the crank arm 26 against the stop shoulders of the locking plate 27. It is evident that other suitable means may be used for yieldably locking the crank shaft 24 in adjusted position.

On the bracket 5 is journaled the crank ,gear 35, which is permanently in mesh with A suitable handle 32 is pro one end against the plate This spring the power pinion 14. On top of the support 1 is rigidly fixed a guide frame 36 by means of bolts or screws 37, passing through lugs 38 on the guide-frame. In this guideframe operates a rack bar 39, which is provided with a transverse pin 40 extending through the slot 41 in theguide-frame 36,

as best shown in Fig. 1. The crank'gear 35 is provided with a pin 42 one end of the connecting link 43, the other end of which is connected to the pin 40 of the rack bar. continuous rotation of the power pinion 14 causes the rack bar 39 to reciprocate. A

vertical. operating shaft 44 is rotatably sus-' pended from the top of the support 1, and has hired to its upper end the horizontal gear 45. In the embodiment shown inthe drawings, the vertical shaft 44 is the agitator shaft of the washing tends into the tub. Connection between the gear 45 and the rack bar 39 is established by the horizontal gear 46, which is pivoted at 47 to the The gears 45 and 46 are preferably inclosed in a casing 48. secured to the top .of the support 1 by screws or bolts 49. From the above connection between the power pinion 14 and the vertical that continuous rotation ofthe pinion v14 causes the shaft 44 to oscillate. pulley 15 is adapted to be connected with any suitable source of power, such as an electric motor or a gas engine.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent'of the. United States is:

It will thus be seen that the machine, and ex-' top or cover .of the support 1.

shaft 44, it will be clear The power for receiving In a gear mechanism, a suitable support, a stud carried by the support, a power pinion mounted to turn on said stud, a driven shaft, a gear fixed on said shaft, a frame pivotally mounted on said stud, a first pinion on said frame driven from said power pinion, a second'pinion on said frame meshing with said power pinion, a third pinion on said frame meshing with \the second pinion, the pivotal mounting of the frame permitting its adjustment so that'either the first or third pinion of the frame may mesh with said gear one at a time, said first, second and third the combination of WILLIAM H. GEORGE.

Witnesses: J. H. Tono,

' M. S. Wnrrznn. 

